Wells goes deep in Wilson's first start

By
Adam McCalvy

PHOENIX -- Caleb Gindl's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Brewers a 4-3 win over the Angels at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Tied at 3 after Hank Conger's two-run single off Brewers pitching prospect Tyler Thornburg in the sixth inning, the Brewers needed two batters in the bottom of the ninth to win. Minor Leaguer Rene Tosoni led off against Angels right-hander Robert Coello with a triple before Gindl hit his winning sacrifice fly to left field.

The throw home was in time but slightly up the first base line. Tosoni slid in safely.

"It was actually a great slide to get around it," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "He was safe."

Vernon Wells hit a solo home run for the Angels and Rickie Weeks went deep for the Brewers.

Brewers starter Hiram Burgos allowed only two hits, including Wells' long home run leading off the second inning, in his final tune-up before joining Puerto Rico's entry to the World Baseball Classic. Another Classic participant, Canada's Taylor Green, put the Brewers on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning with the third of three consecutive Brewers hits against Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson, a double off the wall in right-center field.

Green's go-ahead hit -- snapping an 0-for-13 start to his spring -- followed singles by Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy and Jeff Bianchi. Wilson was charged with two runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings in his first Cactus League start, with no walks and two strikeouts.

"It was weird because we've played so many games already, and I've been kind of itching to get out there, so in the first inning, I overcooked a lot of balls because I was amped up," Wilson said. "I was just waving my arms around like, 'Stay loose, stay loose.' My arm feels good, my delivery felt nice and smooth."

Angels pitcher Jeremy Berg finished the second inning, and Garrett Richards, fighting for a spot in the Angels bullpen, followed with two scoreless innings, working around four hits.

Burgos walked one batter and struck out another during his four-inning stint. He will travel Sunday to Ft. Myers, Fla., to join team Puerto Rico, and has been told he'll pitch in the island's first World Baseball Classic game against Spain. Whether he will start or pitch in relief is under discussion, Burgos said.

"I'll meet the Puerto Rican team over there and stay with that confidence," Burgos said. "You want to go over there and do the same thing or better. I'm very excited. It is really a great opportunity right now. I know a lot of players from that country want to be there. It's a blessing to be there."

Up next: The Angels will get their first look at offseason addition Joe Blanton on Sunday, when they host the Cubs' split squad at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Blanton, signed to a two-year, $15 million deal in the offseason, has gone 83-75 with a 4.37 ERA while averaging 178 innings per season from 2005-12. Last year, the 32-year-old right-hander pitched for the Phillies and Dodgers, going 10-13 with a 4.71 ERA, 191 innings and a 4.88 strikeout-to-walk rate -- the best of his career.